This invention relates to tripods, and particularly to tripods for photographic use. It is particularly, although not exclusively applicable to tripods of the kind having a mounting head with an arcuate bolt carrying an article supporting bracket for mounting, and a plurality of wedge shaped spaces between the pivots at the top ends of the tripod legs. A tripod of this kind is described in our International Patent Application No. PCT/GB 91/01404, which relates to a tripod having a head with a slidable, article supporting pillar or centre column mounted on the head in a pillar guide which includes a pivotal bracket for attachment to the arcuate bolt, so that the pillar can be pivoted from a vertical to a horizontal position.
In normal use, a camera will be mounted on a tripod bush at one end of the centre column, by means of a ball and socket head, and thus, if the column is pivoted to a horizontal position, and the tripod legs are opened to a wide angle, it is possible to arrange the camera to be positioned close to the ground for "low angle" shoots. However, manipulation of the ball and socket head becomes very difficult in such positions, because in general, when the axis of ball and socket head is horizontal and its mounting is turned through 90.degree., i.e., so that the tripod bush is vertical, there is almost no further adjustability of position available from the ball and socket head.